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Home > The 10 most romantic restaurants in the world that I’ve been lucky enough to dine at

The 10 most romantic restaurants in the world that I’ve been lucky enough to dine at

13/02/2015 by Karen

Most-romantic-restaurants-in-the-world
I’ll be honest, I’m a soppy romantic, but as much as  I love  Valentine’s Day (even though  of course  it’s a commercial gimmick), the whole manufactured element really isn’t my thing. Although  I do take great pleasure in buying creative  gifts and making  little homemade  surprises for Mr STG on Vally Day (and this year we are celebrating with a cheese fondue at home!) as a concept, it doesn’t sit comfortably with me to promote on the blog.

Personally,  I prefer my love and romance year-round, expressed in small ways daily, and surprising ways unexpectedly. But that’s just me, and I knew I couldn’t get away with ignoring Valentine’s Day, of all things, on a wedding blog. So I’ve decided to tell you about the top 10 most romantic restaurants in the world that I’ve had the pleasure of dining  at together with Mr STG, but do note, that  not one of these dinner dates fell  on Valentine’s Day!

I’m afraid I don’t have pictures of myself and Mr STG eating at all  of these restaurants as we were most probably  too busy enjoying the experience…but I’ve posted the ones that  we did take!

The restaurants are listed in the chronological order that Mr STG and I dined  at them.

I’d love to hear your recommendations too – tell me, what’s the most romantic restaurant in the world that you’ve ever dined at?

1. Meeru Island restaurant, The Maldives

Mr STG and I took our first ever holiday together in The Maldives  in December  2011. Meeru combines everything that the Maldives is famous for; gorgeous sun, expansive sparkling seas, an unbelievably relaxing vibe, and white sandy beaches. Needless to say we had a thoroughly good  time, and felt on top of the world  spending every evening sitting right by the water,  dining on the freshest fish, seafood, and steak. What we loved most about this restaurant was it’s casualness – Mr STG dined barefoot every evening! Whereas I could dress up or down according to how I felt. We had a truly magical time at Meeru, and have the most amazing memories of our time there.

Maldives Meeru
Top: Mr STG and I just before dinner one night :: Bottom: A  typical scene at Meeru

2.  Chetzeron, Crans Montana, Switzerland

Chetzeron is truly  special – it’s a restaurant converted from an old ski  lift station tucked away deep in the Swiss mountains with  uninterrupted views along the Rhone Valley towards Mont Blanc. The interior is  smart and cool – all steel, glass, wood and stone, but it’s outside on the deck  that you really want to dine. Mr STG and I only ever ate lunch there, mid-ski, during our 2012 ski trip to Crans Montana, but lunch at Chetzeron was taken almost every day – we just couldn’t resist its charms! And who says you can’t have a romantic dinner for two dressed in salopettes and clunky ski boots?

Chetzeron Chetzeron2     Chetzeron4
Top: I’m certainly very happy to have arrived at Chetzeron! :: Middle: Mr STG and I posing on the slope adjacent  to Chetzeron just after lunch :: Bottom: The deck at Chetzeron

3.  Manta Ray, Tel Aviv, Israel

We traveled to Israel in April 2012 to spend Passover with my extended family who live in Tel Aviv. Whilst there I delighted in showing Mr STG all my favourite haunts, including Manta Ray, a beautiful  restaurant at the southern, beachy end of Tel Aviv. and my very favourite restaurant in the city. The tables outside, just a few feet  away from the sea on Alma beach,  are the best picks, and the setting is utterly breathtaking with a  spectacular  view of the sunset if you time it right.

The cuisine at Manta Ray  is a melange  of Eastern European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures that features fish, seafood, meats, and Israeli vegetables grown year-round, but the most amazing thing about this place is the variety of mezze and starters. Everything is  delicious! It’s worth pointing out that Manta Ray does great breakfasts too (why only dine romantically in the evening?)  although the real magic at  Manta Ray is for  lunch or dinner to sample  their superb fish and seafood.

Manta-Ray Manta-Ray-2
Top: my instagram of our mezze starters :: Bottom: the interior of Manta Ray

4. Le Caprice, London

A firm favourite of ours, Mr STG and I have dined at Le Caprice, a West End institution, far too many times than we dare count. It’s  tucked away in a side  street  behind the Ritz and it’s an elegant combination of glam, stylish, discreet, and dare I say it, old school – but  all the better for it!

We always get the warmest of welcomes from Jesus  Adorno,  the director who is  very much the “face” of Le Caprice, having worked  at the restaurant  from the first day it opened in 1981. Everything  from the food to the cocktails to the service is absolutely first class, and the desserts are some of the finest I’ve ever tasted. Pass on the renowned iced  berries in hot white chocolate sauce at your peril! Le Caprice is  definitely a trusted  favourite of ours, and in my opinion, has to be sampled at least once in a lifetime.

Le-Caprice
Le Caprice, London

5.  The Cliff, Barbados

Dining at  The Cliff  provided us with an unbeatable open-air setting on a coral cliff top above a small cove.  We sampled it during our trip to Barbados in December 2012 and whilst the backdrop  was simply astonishing, the prices were pretty jaw-dropping too! Never mind… we were on holiday, and the food is that good, I still remember what I ate (and how delicious  it was) two years later.  Watching the illuminated ocean, surrounded by  fire beacons burning as we dined, this restaurant was definitely romance personified, and certainly deserves its place in my top ten.

Barbados The-Cliff-Barnados
Top: A very fuzzy picture of Mr STG and I just outside The Cliff restaurant :: Bottom: The Cliff

6. Ristorante Bagni Delfino, Sorrento, Italy

We chose to holiday in the Amalfi Coast for our honeymoon in April 2013, and we frequented Delfino several times during our trip. Being owned by a wonderfully warm  family (it has been with the Gargiulo family since it first opened in 1968), we fell in love with the friendly, summery  vibe  and the surrounding  view of the Bay of Naples. I know, I know, my top 10 is full of beachside  restaurants – I’m a sun baby!). The seafood was  some of the finest and freshest we’ve ever tasted, and don’t get me started on those divine pasta dishes. I’m literally salivating as I type! Delfino was definitely  the most memorable dining experience for us in the  Amalfi Coast for all the right reasons.

Delfino-Sorrento sorrento
Top: A fuzzy image of Delfino, Sorrento – excuse the image quality! :: Bottom: a typical view of the stunning Bay of Naples

7. La Fontelina, Capri, Italy

My oh my, where do I  start with  La Fontelina? Halfway  through our Amalfi Coast honeymoon, Mr STG and I decided to hire a boat, and  sail to Capri for the day, and this  turned out to be  one of the best days  that we  have ever had! After a little bit of research we decided that La Fontelina, located on a rocky shore opposite the Faraglioni, would be our Capri lunch spot,  and boy, did we enjoy  our time there.

La Fontelina, at its core, is a private beach club, and when you arrive, you are assigned a cabana boy who supplies you with towels, chairs, umbrellas, iced coffees – whatever takes your fancy!  It’s a compact area and there is no real beach – just alcoves and rock formations – kind of a  rocky-beach swimming hole,  but for us that was part of the  charm.  We took a dip in the sea which was wonderfully refreshing, and then headed to the restaurant for lunch.

Everything was incredibly fresh, from the bread to the sublime main courses. We particularly enjoyed the  white sangria and exquisite seafood spaghetti.

La Fontelina is a great place to spend an unforgettable day. In my mind, definitely one for the bucket list!

Sailing-to-capri   La-Fontelina-Capri-3 La-Fontelina-Capri
La-Fontelina-Capri
Top: Sailing to Capri! :: Middle: Staring at the view from La Fontalina :: Middle: Posing at the entrance to  La Fontalina :: Bottom:  La Fontalina at night

8. Chateau Bagnols, Bagnols, Beaujolais, France

During the summer of 2013, Mr STG and I went on a fabulous  road trip through  France, and experienced some amazing  adventures. Our  highlight was a 3 night stop at  the utterly glorious Chateau Bagnols, which we found thanks to the Mr & Mrs Smith website.

The spectacular 13th-century Chateau Bagnols  has conical towers, dry moats and a drawbridge entrance, and manages to provide that feeling of real luxury in a wonderful historic context which it hasn’t over modernised. Simply put it was a total treat to be there and the dinner in the restaurant was probably one of the best  we’ve ever had. We sat on the terrace with magnificent views of the  vineyards,  enjoying French culinary excellence from the Beaujolais and Lyon regions.

Chateau Bagnols was utterly outstanding in every way and I am very keen to return…

Chateau-Bagnols-restaurant
The restaurant at Chateau Bagnols

9.  The Wolseley, London

The Wolseley has a spectacular listed interior and buzzes from early till late, seven days a week. It was originally constructed in 1921 as a car showroom for Wolseley Motors, and subsequently  served as a branch of Barclays Bank between 1927 and 1999. It reopened as a restaurant in 2003 after extensive renovation work, and boy does it impress. As breathtaking as the interior is, it’s the service and food that are truly  jaw-dropping, and it’s without question, another of our London top spots.

The attention to detail is remarkable, and despite being a “formal” environment, there is no arrogance or snobbery.  The menu ranges from oysters, steak tartare and  soufflà© suisse, to  wiener schnitzel and  grilled halibut with wilted spinach and bà©arnaise to creme brulà©e and  apple strudel.

The Wolseley  holds a special place in our heart as we went there for spontaneous afternoon burgers the day before our daughter, Sacha, was born in November 2013. She was already a week overdue and we thought, let’s do something indulgent and spontaneous on what could be our last Saturday afternoon as just the two of us.  We did just that and we cherish that lovely memory.

The Wolseley,
The Wolseley, London

10.  Berners Tavern, London

Finally I want to tell you about the à¼ber glam  Berners Tavern, a vast and glamorous dining room, with a wow factor, situated in Ian Schrager’s London Edition Hotel. Mr STG and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary there in April 2014, and whilst the food isn’s the very best I’ve ever had, the restaurant space  is astonishingly beautiful and the whole experience was  one of a fabulous occasion. We enjoyed  a cocktail or three in the Punch Room bar first, and subsequently had a very romantic first anniversary dinner in the restaurant. It most definitely deserves its place in my top 10.

Berners-Tavern Berners-Tavern
Top: Berners Tavern :: Bottom: My instagram of our table at Berners Tavern…. great cocktails!

Bonus: cooking at home!

I hope you’ll forgive my cheesiness and let me add this in – there’s really nothing better than when  Mr STG gets into the kitchen and rustles up a lovely home-cooked recipe, especially his incredible  roast chicken. For me eating together at home is one of the most romantic places in the world. I know that’s a gushy thing to say, but it is Valentine’s Day after all. Happy Vally Day everyone – may you give and receive lots of love this  Valentine’s Day… and every day.

Mr-STG
Mr STG cooking at home in our kitchen

 

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Filed Under: Personal Posts Tagged With: Valentine's Day, Romantic restaurants

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About Karen

Loves great design, cityscapes, berry cocktails, and the word “yes”. Founder and editor of Smashing The Glass. Follow me @SmashingTheGlass

Comments

  1. Raj Dharar says

    13/02/2015 at 9:41 am

    Ah Karen these places look lovely. I enjoyed seeing your personal photographs in this post too. Will keep these restaurants in mind for the future, thank you 🙂

    • Karen says

      13/02/2015 at 10:51 am

      Ah Raj, so kind of you to say! It was fun thinking about all the exciting experiences we’ve shared together over the last few years 🙂

  2. Planet Elldrew says

    13/02/2015 at 1:45 pm

    Ooooo some great places (and you love all of our London favs also). The La Fontalina, Capri, Italy setting mirrored Ca’s Patro March, Deia, Spain – which we totally recommend a visit. Great post and made me realise we need to get out and dine more 🙂

    • Karen says

      15/02/2015 at 7:10 pm

      Ok, that means that Ca’s Patro March, Deia, Spain is firmly on the bucket list – I do love a beach club lunch / day out. And you two you do not need to go out and dine more! You really are great at exploring London and traveling all over the world. I often take my inspiration from you – you know that, right?!

  3. Jemma-Jade Event's says

    14/02/2015 at 11:07 am

    Loved this post! Your Kitchen is STUNNING! XX

    • Karen says

      15/02/2015 at 7:12 pm

      Ah thank you dear Jemma-Jade 🙂

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